Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Momma Starr Releases "Black Hawk: Working with His Spirit" !!

I just wanted to drop a note to let everyone know that Momma Starr of Old Style Conjurehas finally finished and released her book Black Hawk: Working with His Spirit!

This is going to be a very historically important work in the world of conjure, as this particular spirit tradition has had precious little useful info written about it. It has left many workers who do not have access to a very old school rootworker to learn mouth-to-ear from, and who may otherwise be drawn to work with Black Hawk scratching their heads and trying to find threads of information where they can. Until now if you were looking for information on working with Black Hawk, you were limited to biographies about him, or the wonderful book The Spirit of Black Hawk: A Mystery of Africans and Indians by Jason Berry which looks into the spiritual churches of New Orleans that venerated Black Hawk which has some lovely pictures of altars and practitioners, but does not include practical information on working with Black Hawk (but is a great introduction to the spiritual tradition surrounding it).

Momma Starr has now set out to remedy this, spurred on by Black Hawk himself!

If you listen to Momma Starr's fantastic podcast, Old Style Conjure Podcast, which she hosts with Dr. Love Bug, then you've probably already been tantalized by her interview with the worker who taught her how to work with Black Hawk and White Eagle, as well as from the amazing amount of information that she and Dr. Love Bug share on their broadcasts. Her last episode was actually devoted to speaking about and teaching about how to work with Black Hawk, so if you're unfamiliar with Black Hawk, or want to get a taste of what her material will contain, I suggest surfing over and taking a listen to her Black Hawk and How to Call on His Spirit podcast.

I have ordered a copy of the book, which you can too from the PayPal link that is provided on the first page of her Old Style Conjure Ning Community. She is selling the book for $34.95 and that includes shipping (at least for the time-being).

If you are able to make it there, Momma Starr is also teaching an in-person class on how to work with Black Hawk at the Traditional Folk Magic Festival that is being held in New Orleans on November 13-14. I am doing my best to be able to attend as this is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

So, once I get my copy of her new book (which she told me she put into the mail today - hooray), I will post a review of it here...but if this is a subject which interests you, I encourage you to go purchase your own copy today!

2 comments:

I just stumbled across your blog through another. I'm really enjoying what you present here! Syncretism can really produce some awesome systems of personalized spiritual/magickal practice, and this is certainly a great example of that. Keep up the good Work, I'll definitely be visiting this blog.

About Me

Devi Spring has been practicing folk magic since 1997. With academic learning and practical experience in many different areas of world spiritual and folk magic traditions, she began offering divination and ritual work professionally to clients in 2008. She is the proprietress of Queen of Pentacles Conjure where she provides tarot readings, spiritual consultations, candle services, and a variety of custom crafted items such as mojo bags, bottle spells, and more.

She holds a Religious Studies, B.A. and is also a Usui Reiki Master-Teacher with an established healing and teaching practice in Toronto.

Devi has trained in many different forms of folk magic,and takes inspiration from traditions tied to her own heritage and those she has received initiation in. This has resulted in a unique and syncretic melange of hoodoo, Mexican folk religion, New Orleans conjure, universalist and folk expressions of Hinduism, Hermetic ceremonialism, and folk shamanic spirit-work paving her path.